Seven Holes-In-One On Par 4S

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Throughout the history of golf, players of all proficiency levels have scored hole-in-ones. But no one has done what Mike Hilyer has.

The Montgomery native and long-ball hitter has recorded seven aces in the past two years.

That's an extraordinary number in itself but the catch is that every one of them came on a par-4 hole.

"From all our records, it's definitely a record," said Mancil Davis, membership director of the Dallas (Texas)-based National Hole-In-One association. "We know of one individual who had three, but even one of his was debatable. It defies logic. It's unexplainable."

Even Hilyer, 44, has trouble putting his accomplishment into words.

"I don't think anybody can explain this or really any other hole-in-ones," said the Central Alabama Area Manager for Labor Finders. "So much can go wrong. The only thing I can say is I hit the ball an extremely long way."

A small-framed football and basketball player in high school, he now is an imposing 6-foot-5, 258 pounds.

Living in Griffin, Ga., in 1984, Hilyer and a friend tried a series of sports to get their competitive juices flowing. They battled in billiards, then table tennis and then tennis. Next came golf. Neither had ever played before. They went to the Griffin Country Club, bought everything they needed for the sport in the pro shop and went out and played.

"I shot a 94, and I think he shot about 180," Hilyer said. "Within about six weeks, I was about shooting par golf."

The club pro suggested that he try playing right-handed since there wasn't as much equipment available for left-handers. He did and fired an 89 his first time out.

What quickly became evident was that Hilyer, who says he hits his drives 330-360 yards consistently, could pound the ball a long way.

The next year he was participating and winning long-drive contests. The long-drive national semifinals were held during the PGA's Atlanta Classic in 1985, and he found himself, just barely a year after picking up the sport, hitting balls on the same practice range with the likes of Tom Watson and Craig Stadler.

By 1987, he was hitting 300 balls a day and was the second-ranked long driver in the world.

But business then took him and his family to upstate New York. With limited free time to play and the cold weather a factor, too, playing time decreased. Four years later in 1992, he returned home to Montgomery. He started playing regularly again, and the aces began two years later.

He used Pinnacle Distance golf balls on the first four aces but scored his past three using an Ultra. H.

He used a Taylor Made driver on some, but now is committed to Callaway clubs.

Each hole-in-one was scored at a different course and all but one was made when he was playing in a foursome.

The other was in a threesome, and none of the 20 playing partners involved was in his group twice. In fact, he only knew six of the people prior to teeing off.

"I guess people don't doubt it because they know I can hit it a long way," he said.

So what's Hilyer going to do now.

Well, for one, he expects more aces to come and maybe even a first on a par-3. He plans on helping the National Long Driving Association hold two sectional qualifiers in Alabama in the next six months.

His aspirations long-range are like what many golfers approaching the age of 50 might be.

"My intentions are to play the Senior Tour," said Hilyer, who plays at a seven-handicap. "That's what I want to accomplish."